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HST/Mk3 range please!! I’ve just been working out the requirements for my planned layout and need around 14 sets to run the working timetable! So around 24 power cars and 105 coaches. I certainly won’t be giving Hornby that business, so if you guys don’t produce one I might have to model somewhere else!

True. I’ve got a couple of the new 47s on order to see what they’re like but can’t see me buying loads, although if Bachmann drip feed them like they normally do it’ll take decades to assemble a fleet of them! I certainly prefer the Accurascale/Cavalex/SLW way of releasing a large number of variations in one go so you can get a fleet up together quickly! I actually prefer the Heljan releases on the 47 and I would have probably looked to replace my Bachmann fleet with these had they not of buggered the shape! My preorder amount for Cavalex is all for 56s and allows me to more than replace my Hornby fleet of 5 in one go! Although I think I may have underestimated the amount I quoted above!!

Last Friday it looked like this… Hornby £3000 Accurascale £2500 Cavalex £1600 Bachmann £600 SLW £325 Dapol £0 Heljan £0 There wasn’t much for me in this year’s announcements anyway (for late 80s/early 90s) so probably just the 60s to be honest but with Hornby’s shenanigans and just generally not impressed with the quality/value I cancelled all my existing Hornby pre-orders so it now looks like this… Accurascale £2500 Cavalex £1600 Bachmann £600 SLW £325 Dapol £0 Heljan £0 Hornby £0 Must be something to do with starting with ‘H’ as I won’t be buying Heljan either! They’d probably be in the lead at the moment, with about £3000, if they could actually be bothered to make the effort and get the shape of their 45s and 47s correct! So that’s plenty saved to now send Accurascales way! Interestingly a couple of years ago I’d say 90% of my spend probably went to Bachmann!

You’re probably right, but for me, it’s not all about affordability - I’m quite fortunate to be able to buy what I like generally - it is as much about value for money. Just because I can afford something doesn’t mean I’m going to buy it regardless. I generally view Hornby as expensive for an, at best, ok product and when the likes of Accurascale and others offer an outstanding product for less that leaves me feeling ripped off. I realise different businesses will have different business models and overheads, but as a consumer that is not my problem really - Hornby for me equals low quality, high price. For example I had no qualms about ordering a SLW 25 at £320 odd pound as the model looks to be worth it and they’ve put the effort in to get them as good as they possibly can be! I won’t however pay £360 odd pound for a Hornby HST with a massive mould line down the front, saggy windscreen and a lottery on whether it’ll be in the correct colour with logos in the right place!

Is this a new video that I’ve missed somewhere?! I’ve seen the one from last year where SK is lost for words when announcing Lion but nothing from this week? Now that would be interesting!

Me personally: think opening doors are waste of time and money as I have never had any inclination to do anything with them other than the first prod of one on the 50 whenever that was first released however many years ago! In fact I’ve had to send multiple models back because they’re either badly fitted or have fallen off, so must be more hassle than they’re worth for the manufacturer too you’d think?! At least the newer manufacturers have chosen to ignore this gimmick on their models!

I think there was a full EMT set leased directly to VTEC then LNER, when the native ECML sets received the VTEC refresh the now ex EMT coach set received the same new seat covers and carpets (albeit retaining original seats/interior fittings etc) and was vinyled into VTEC livery but the two transferred power cars (43061/075) that worked with it retained full EMT livery until the end. edit: I think this set had mention of Hull on the exterior of the buffet as this was its general allocated turn - something like Hull - KX - Leeds - KX - Hull. Although it did go further afield on occasions at weekends I recall. I assume this fixed turn was because maintenance for this was kept at NL rather than EC. further edit!: although I think they generally stayed together on ‘their’ set there are pics of these two power cars on Flickr on normal sets with other power cars too. also I think the ex EMT set remained 8 coaches rather than the 9 of the normal sets so an excuse for a shorter VTEC/LNER liveried set!

That’s awful! I have to confess that I’ve never really inspected mine that closely as not got around to building the layout yet! Another reason to get rid of them and hope that Accurascale come to the rescue with a decent one!

Oh, I do remember watching Herbie! And probably some of the better Carry Ons! Was there some Doctor ones that were similar with, I think, Leslie Philips?! Sorry gone a bit off topic here! Were there any trains in Carry On?! Maybe they could rework a TPO model so that instead of depositing the mail bags a OO gauge Barbara Windsors bra is left hanging on the hook as the train speeds by?! And back on topic!

Lol. Never been a big tv or film watcher now I think about it! Star Wars was probably about it when I was growing up! Wanted to be a stormtrooper when I grew up, with hindsight probably not the most lengthy career choice! Haha.

There are so many angles to this now I’m not sure whether to post as one or separately!! My big gripes with Hornby/SK and have led to my decision to no longer purchase anything from them/boycott, call it what you will are: The tiers: it does appear that this is a way of eventually driving everyone to the website (and if I’m honest as a business they are quite entitled to do) but they seem to be masking it as supporting retailers which I’m not sure it does and they don’t seem to be being honest in its intended goal. As the premises seem to have some relation to which tier a retailer falls into it seems odd that they are receiving such small allocations and a lot are selling out before the model is produced. Surely the point of a shop is to encourage people in to browse products and purchase, hopefully, more than intended?! If going forward nothing ever makes the shelves then surely they may as well just run a warehouse?! (Now I realise there is a fine balance between having too much stock that you can’t shift and having to discount vs just enough to create some desire for browsing customers). The attitude: this very unsavoury and unpalatable attitude of thinking that they have a right to everything and nobody should dare encroach on their territory and now ‘Titgate’ I only watched one of those recent tv programmes (APT) and found it just unbearably cringeworthy. I would go as far to say that SK is deluded - the detail detail detail comment especially. Ok the APT looks quite smart, but it feels so cheap and basic - and weighs nothing (I’m sure if someone broke wind four streets away it would be in danger of being blown from the tracks) and the much discussed dustbins hanging from the ceiling that I don’t recall on the prototype! This is not detail detail detail, it’s cheap cheap cheap (but it’s not is it!) The models: these are just not up to the standard of most of the competition. If they really wanted to keep ‘their territory safe’ then the best way is to produce models that leave no gap for an alternative. The minor changes to the HST for example still do not produce a definitive high end model, but are purely intended to stamp on any chance of a competing version. Why is it they feel they have the right to dictate that their mediocre offering is all we’re allowed? Then there are the amount of errors in decoration or just plain carelessness - just look at the awful livery application of the blue/grey LNER farewell HST in the HST thread. The people: I just feel that, unlike some of the new players, that the staff there are not interested. It appears to be just a job to them and not one they appear to care about or do very well at judging by the output. The likes of Accurascale, Cavalex, Rapido etc are clearly run by people who care and have a passion to improve things and deliver the best, most accurate, models that they can. SKs arrogance is clear to see and those programmes, this week’s announcements, Titgate and just their general lack of care and attention on the models themselves have reinforced my view that Hornby is a business I will no longer be purchasing from, either indirectly or directly from the website! Apologies for the long post!

I’m early 40s and I certainly had never heard of the film before now, or Lion for that matter, so was a bit oblivious to it all until it all kicked off on Monday!

Didn’t they mess the livery up on at least one of the Royal 67s?! I remember buying one early on, but seem to recall comments about the roof being wrong colour so that may have put some off and I sold mine on!

I’d certainly add my vote to a decent 20 to AS standards!

Two versions of red - original with twin yellow stripes which went diagonal at ends (as RM lorry/van livery of the time) and the current plain version.

And as we’re almost two weeks in already that must surely mean one is due soon?!!

I think it was business size that was being mentioned by the other poster not brand awareness. I think most would agree that Hornby is probably the most well known - but brands can come and brands can go, and if StudioCanal took them to cleaners I’d not mourn the loss of it. A lot bigger brands than Hornby have disappeared over the years!

The trouble is, it’s all very well them tooling the different light clusters etc but can they be trusted to actually use the correct ones when they produce the models?! It seems beyond them to use the correct roof on a buffet or the right interior for a standard class coach so I wouldn’t hold out much hope! Lol. Didn’t the recent 31/1 use a 31/4 body?!!

I think DJM wore a cowboy hat rather than a balaclava? Or maybe it was both! Haha.

If there was a ever a need to be able to use more than one of the thumbs up at a time it was now! Lol.

The price point may be on par, but how does the quality and detail compare to the likes of Accurascale etc? It looks a little basic but I’ve not seen one up close. How old is the Drax tooling now? It feels like a couple of years ago but probably much longer!

Steam not my thing, but the Accurascale Manor is £169.99 or £259.99 with sound for something far superior to anything Hornby has ever produced! A great looking model at a price that doesn’t leave you feeling robbed… unlike Hornby - I’m sure SK should wear a balaclava! Lol.

No planned equals (or likely far better) that they or we know about - yet! Typical Hornby trait - continue to palm off an ok-ish model, make no continued investment in improving the model and leave a gap in the market for a superior one. Then whinge and react in the way they usually do because someone has strayed into ‘their territory’ despite them not giving a t**s for years!

Am I correct in assuming this will be in its current as preserved condition rather than late 80s/90s in service condition? I think there are a few (minor) differences in small details between the two? The overhead warning flashes for example. Cheers.

Personally I think Hornby should stick to Railroad and Playtrain as this is something where they can capitalise on a market they almost have to themselves! After last year’s announcements I emailed SK regarding the chances of a BR Blue 31/4 and the reply gave the impression I was certainly not alone in my request (actually I would like around 10 in total!) however we get yet another unrefurbished 31/1! Maybe we all need to form our own fake manufacturers and announce what we are releasing (need!) as Hornby would no doubt release them straight away if they think you’re stepping on their toes! Lol. All partly irrelevant now as I’ve come to the conclusion not to buy anything further from them regardless due their bullying practices!